Audi S4
Most sports derivatives of vehicles have an element of bringing out your inner hooligan, or at least your inner child. That part of you that just needs to misbehave.
Sure donuts are immature, “yes Dear” I will try not to let the back hang out on the next bend. They inspire one to go there by the shortcut, no matter how much extra time that mountain pass might add to the journey.
In short they are unpleasant for all but a certain minority of our passengers, that rare but delightful breed who get turned on by being scared shitless.
Unfortunately they are not representative of the bulk of our victimsguests. Audi has built a curious beast, 245kw and 440nm of torque that should induce both you and your little ones to go grey a little younger. But it doesn't. It behaves. Very well.
With most “special” versions, especially those that go past the 200kw mark, harsh acceleration from a standstill will either produce loads of burnt rubber smell to enter the cabin or if left on, will see the traction control warning light flashing enough to induce an attack in the nearest epileptic.
Not so the S4. In a word, behaved. Well behaved, the Quattro system allowing the smallest of tyre squeal, shoving you faster in the most genteel way. Think take-off rather than funfair toy. Corners are similarly tamed.
The DSG gearbox is again the way to go. I have always hated semi-auto boxes, the sequential manual gearbox being a particular item of loathe.
In the S4's very much bigger sister the Lamborghini Gallardo, it was in fact disruptive enough in full sport mode to unsettle the back of the car on every gear change, even when pointed straight, and downright scary when changing attitude… also the damn things feel like they break the car every time they thud and crash between ratios.
Manual was my way, more control, more involvement, perhaps a microsecond slower, but more pleasant. Thing is, these DSG gearboxes are just better. Faster to change than I am on a good day, and even Miss Daisy would be happy with the smoothness, the one clutch grabbing one ratio seamlessly while the other leaves the last, almost always pre-selecting in anticipation of your needs.
Also a seven speed manual gearbox would feel more like rowing than driving. Just consider it. The gearbox costs 0.2 seconds in the 0-100 dash, but still leaves you in the low five second bracket. The interior is cosseting, if hi tech and a little ‘shades of black’. It is a good place to be.
Supportive seats, good, reasonably intuitive controls of the systems, although I personally think the group are doing a better ergonomic job of their media and mapping system controls with the touch screen systems in their VW's, one of the best systems around.
The ability to scroll to tracks in the Audi is a little slow, making one notice the imperfection. Also track names are represented on the driver display not on the media screen. Odd that. Want an executive saloon, need to go fast, maybe even very fast? This one has that feel.
Apply elsewhere if you want to see where you are going through the side glass.
